Machine for cutting sheets of stamps into strips.



No. 638,0I4. Patented Nov. 28, I899.

F. J. HEWITT & c. H. smuoux. MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHEETS 0F STAMPS INTO STRIPS.

(Application filed Feb. 6, 1899.) We Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

7 No. 638,0l4. Patented Nov. 28, I899.

F. J. HEWITT G- C. H. BRIDOUX.

MACHlNE FUR CUTTING $HE ETS 0F STAMPS INTO STRIPS. (Application filed Feb. 6, 1899. (No Model.)

2 Sheets-$heet 2.

Ill! I-IHII' a mu llllllnmm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. HEWITT AND CHARLES H. BRIDOUX, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE HEWITT SEALER AND STAMPER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHEETS OF STAMPS INTO STRIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,014,, dated November 28, 1899.

Application filed February 6,1899- Serial No. 704,723. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK J HEWITT and CHARLES H. BRIDOUX, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Sheets of Stampsinto Strips, of which the following is a specification.

IO This invention relates to that class of mechanisms which are used for the purpose of bolding a perforated sheet of postage-stamps and cutting the same into strips.

The object of the invention is to provide a t 5 simple, economical, and efficient machine for cutting sheets of postage-stamps into strips; and the invention consists in the features,

combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with our improvements; Fig. 2, a'

sectional View taken on line 6 of Fig. 5; and.

Fig. 7, an enlarged sectional detailof the looking mechanism, taken on line 7 of Fig. 2.

In the art to which this invention relates it is well known that it is often desirable to take a perforated sheet of postagestamps and separate the same into strips and that where vast quantities of stamps are used daily it involves considerable labor and expense to strip these sheets by hand labor, which is unsatisfactory, as well as being expensive, in that the stamps are often torn or destroyed.

The principal object of our invention, therefore, is to provide a simple and economical machine which will remove the above objections and strip a sheet of stamps in an efficient manner.

In constructing a machine in accordance with our improvements we make a frame portion in two sections A and A, hinged together at a, so as to be opened like a book, as shown 5 in Figs. 3 and 5. These frame-sections are strips.

composed of slats or strips a and a extending longitudinally orlengthwise of the frame and joined together by the cross-pieces a These longitudinal bars are formed of the same width as a strip of stamps and arranged to provide alternating spaces, as shown particularly in Fig. 3, so that the sections of the frame when folded together, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, grasp each alternate strip of stamps firmly between them.

In order to hold the frame-sections together in an efficient manner, we provide two lockingbolts B, preferably hinged at b to the lower frame-section and provided with cam-levers b at their upper ends, adapted to bear on the upper frame and lock both frames together. When the frames are locked together, it is desirable to cut the sheet of stamps into In order to accomplish this result, we provide a sliding bar C, mounted in guides c, secured to the lower frame and Which has extending upwardly therefrom a set or series of spring-cutters c of substantially the same Width as the stamps, and which extend up between the alternating spaces formed by the longitudinal holding bars, as shown particularly in Fig. 5. These spring-cutters, as shown in Fig. 5, are preferably bent upwardly and forwardly, so that as they are moved backwardly toward the hinge portion of the frame they contact each alternate strip of stamps and separate it from the adjoining strip, the cutters taking. advantage of the perforations in the strips to facilitate the operation of cutting.

To move the sliding bar with the springcutters backwardly and forwardly, an operating-lever D is provided, hinged at d to the frame of the machine and connected with a treadle D by means of a link at. The upper end of this operating-lever is slidingly engaged in a recess formed by and with the two downwardly-projecting lugs (1 This operating-lever and other parts are used to move the sliding bar backwardly, while the helical 5 coiled spring E moves the same forwardly at the desired times.

In operation a perforated sheet of stamps is placed in position, as shown in Fig. 3, against the stop-pins a. The frame is then 1C0 closed and locked and the spring-cutters reciprocated, which action cuts the sheet of stamps into strips.

WVe claim 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame consisting of two sections or portions each formed of several longitudinal strips or bars each strip or bar of the width of a strip of stamps and alternating with spaces, means for clamping the frame-sections together and holding the sheet of stamps on the frame between the sections, and means for cutting the sheet of stamps into strips, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame made in two sections each section consisting of longitudinal strips or bars provided with longitudinal alternating spaces, each strip and space of the width of a strip of stamps and having the two sections hinged together at one end, means for locking the sections together and clamping a sheet of stamps between them, a cutter for each space extending up into its space to contact the sheet of stamps, and means for moving the cutter backward and forward, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame portion formed in two sections hinged together each section composed of a plurality of longitudinal strips or bars each of the width of a strip of stamps connected together so as to form alternating longitudinal spaces each of the width of a strip of stamps, a sliding bar reciprocatingly mounted on the frame and provided With a series of cutters for a cutter to extend up into each space so as to contact a sheet of stamps, and means for moving the sliding bar with its cutters backwardly and forwardly, substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame portion formed in two sections hinged together each section composed of a plurality of longitudinal strips or bars each strip or bar of the width of a strip of stamps connected together so as to form alternating longitudinal spaces, bolt and cam mechanism for locking the sections of the frame together, a sliding bar reciprocatingly mounted on the frame and provided with a cutter extending up into each space so as to contact a sheet of stamps, and means for moving the sliding bar with its cutters backwardly and forwardly, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame made in two sections hinged one to the other, each section consisting of longitudinal strips and alternating spaces of the width of a strip of stamps, clamping-bolts locking the two sections together when folded'one on the other and securinga sheet of stamps between the sections, a cutter for each space of the approximate width of the space projecting into the space and engaging a strip of stamps,a bar carrying the cutters, and means for reciprocating the bar, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame made in two sections hinged one to the other, each section consisting of longitudinal strips and alternating spaces of the width of a strip of stamps, guide-pins on the inner face of one section of the frame for inserting a sheet of stamps in position, clamping-bolts locking the two sections when folded and holding the sheet of inserted stamps between them, a cutter for each space projecting upwardly and forwardly into its space and engaging a strip of stamps, a bar carrying the cutters, and means for reciprocating the bar, substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the class described, a foldable frame made in two sections,each having longitudinal strips and alternating spaces adapted to conform in their relation to each other to the relation of the strips of stamps in a sheet, a cutter for each space of the width or approximately so of the space and projecting into its space and engaging a strip of stamps, and means for carrying the cutters and reciprocating them underneath a sheet of stamps for separating the sheet into strips, substantially as described.

FREDERICK J HEWITT. CHARLES H. BRIDOUX. \lVitnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, THOMAS E. MoGaEGoR. 

